LITHIUM INSERTION, ELECTRICAL-CONDUCTIVITY, AND CHEMICAL SUBSTITUTION IN VARIOUS CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC SHEAR STRUCTURES

Oxide crystallographic shear structures have been found to be good hosts for the insertion of lithium at ambient temperature. The authors have been particularly interested in compounds based on (H)-Nb//2O//5 and tungsten-vanadium oxides. This report characterizes the conductivities and lithium insertion reactions of several such compounds, and explores the effects of metal atom substitutions in the host on these properties. Compounds of the M//3O//7 stoichiometry seem to be the most promising of the mixed metal oxides for use as the active cathode materials in secondary lithium batteries.